Director Barb Catlin
Since her arrival from the San Francisco Bay Area in 1994, Barb Catlin has become one of the most sought after pianists in the Valley. Her extensive touring, cruise ship, and show playing include work with top entertainers including Smokey Robinson, Ben Vereen, Lou Rawls, and Wayne Newton. Barb is very active on the local jazz scene and can be heard backing Phoenix’ own Alice Tatum, Sherry Roberson, and Dennis Rowland. Recently, Barb was named by Downbeat Magazine as a "Player to Catch" (March 1999). Her trio was voted as a "favorite" by KJZZ's 2003 Listener's Poll.
Barb majored in music education on woodwinds at California State University at Fresno and completed her Bachelor of Science in Music Education from Grand Canyon University. She is currently completing her Master’s in Education with a Jazz Emphasis at Arizona State University. Barb’s jazz piano studio consistently produces the best young jazz pianists in the state. She is currently teaching at Glendale Community College, Deer Valley High School, Paradise Valley High School, and Thunderbird High School, where her combo has been referred to by Shelly Berg (past president of the International Association of Jazz Educators) as "…one of the ten best high school combos in the Unites States." Barb is musical director of the award winning youth jazz band, “The Young Sounds of Arizona.” She is busy as a clinician and adjudicator at the high school and college level in Arizona and California.
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Young Sounds of Arizona
Where Youth Meets Musical Excellence Through Jazz |
Partial funding for this site is provided through an ArtsPlace Grant from the Phoenix Arts Commission. |
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Young Sounds of Arizona, Inc.
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